Good afternoon to all,

When applying the finish to my latest project, i covered the guide wraps completely, but the finish did not flow onto the blank as i expected it to do while rotating by hand and then a dryer. Do i need to worry about this? Will it be ok as long as the threads are protected? What do you think?

Thanks

Carrington Tate

Some prefer it to stop and not flow onto blank, others like the smooth transition that the flowing creates. I think a little bit of flowing onto the blank does help protect the last turn of thread in the wrap from scuffing and abasion. If you used Permagloss, that stuff is so hard I doubt it matters.

If this is a rod for you, this is a perfect time to test the durability yourself. After all, if it looks good to you, just use it and see how it holds up. Then, if it doesn't, you can add a thin finish coat later that overlaps the edge of the wrap.

CT,

Can't say without seeing it, but I always make sure and extend the finish out onto the blank somwhere between 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch to prevent moisture from seeping in.

It's up to you, but I would give them another coat just to be on the safe side. It might keep you from having to redo them at a later date.

Regards

I'm from the clan of L. A. Garcia, and keeping the finish only on the wraps and off the blank is the way I try to build my rods. I fish them in all types of inclement weather and have not found any water seepage as a result. I would be willing to bet that even if you avoided applying finish to the last line of thread, enough finish would still be pulled into the thread. Do a couple of test wraps, coat them with a thin amount of finish, just enough to wet them. Wait a couple of days, and then take them apart. You may need a magnifying lens to view the individual wrap, but I have confidence you will find some amount of dried finish on the wrap and underneath on the blank.
I truly don't understand why some builders believe it to be important to end up with finish on the blank under the wraps. If you believe it necessary to ensure the guide is securely attached to the rod to prevent movement, I'll just ask you how hard is it to adjust the guides after you completed just the wrapping part. My guides are very resistant to moving, even when my thread tension is fairly loose during wrapping. To me, the only reason I apply finish is to seal the thread. I look at it like a lyering situation--the guide, the wrap on top of the guide, thread sealer, and then the finish on top of the wrap

That is what the finish is for; to protect the thread.
I do put it just outside of the thread onto the blank. I just feel my "seal" is a bit better; I have more confidence this way. I don't doubt you a bit on your experience with this, Patrick. It's just my comfort zone...

Putter

Putter, No need to justify. We all have our own ideas about how we like to build our rods. My best friend (whom I got into rodbuilding) and I "argue" about this same subject almost every week along with the merits of thread sealer products such as Flex-Coat.
Neither of us have capitulated.

Patrick Vernacchio

thanks for the responses...i do feel that the thread is covered sufficiently and it looks good, so i think i will let it stay the way it is. The rod is for my father in law, so if anything goes wrong it won't be a huge issue. The way he treats rods, i'll be lucky if he doesn't break the rod in half anyway!! lol

thanks again,

Carrington

Hello Pat,

Don't deny what you say to be true. The finish is there to protect the thread only. Heck, even I know you can wrap a guide and apply a couple good coats of CP, then go fishing and get away with it. Have done it!

It's just as Randy said, It's like a security blanket. Why take the chance when you don't have to. I get away with alot of things on my personal rods that I wouldn't do to one of my customer's.

Regards

Doug, Absolutely! And, I think that was what I was saying in my first post, and I was also agreeing with Putter in my second post. I can understand why a builder would prefer to extend the finish out past the wraps. My question in the second post was in regards to the belief by some builders who feel it is important to ensure the finish seeps through and connects to the blank under the wrap. I don't think it is necessary.
I just can't convince my fishing buddy and fellow rod builder. I like to hit the new wraps with a good coat of thread sealer, knowing I can come back even weeks later to finish the job and not worry that they came loose or collected dirt. I recall an article from a few years back in one of the fishing magazines, that someone did just that. The writer built several rods with different thread sealers, and tested them throughout the summer. He reached the same conclusion you did.
And Putter, When I said you didn't need to justify, I meant I understood what you meant about your comfort zone..
Patrick Vernacchio

You bet, Patrick, I was understanding the first time-heck, I'm an understanding guy!!! Nice talking with you guys...

Putter

Hey Patrick,

Question, do you fish any super salty water, like our Texas Bays?

Later,
Gerald Mc

I like to try to keep the water out. Even thread soaked with finish allows water to get to the guide feet, especially fom constant exposure.

I get the finish to just come off the thread on to the blank.

Jamaica water is super salty, and sometimes not the cleanest either (chasing snook in Kingston Harbour). After a day out, the rust is already starting to show.

Occassionally, I fish in Cook Inlet or out of Seward for Coho. Couldn't say if the waters are saltier than the Gulf Of Mexico, though. Most of my fishing is confined to the northern rivers.

Patrick,

Since you never see any rusted out hulks of vehicles on the Pacific coast, the water must not be very salty. Not the case with our bays on the Texas coast. If you fished rods down here with the guides finished in the manner that you describe, you would be lucky to get one season out of a set of guides. Don't poo poo me as I have fished the bays for many many years and have built rods since 1960, so I know what I am talking about.

Later,
Gerald Mc

Gerald, ok. No poo pooing.

Gerald, After pondering your responses with a little more consideration, are you responding in terms protecting the wrap by overlapping to the blank, or are you responding based on my earlier question why some builders feel it is important to ensure the finish soaks through to the blank underneath? If you believe either or both are necessary, I'd like to hear your humble opinion on those two points. As for corrosion, I can understand your concerns, since I've lived for sometime in Panama City, Florida, and as I live less than a half mile from the Knik Arm of Cook Inlet, corrosion protection is a concern of mine as well. I don't concern myself much with sealing the gaps between the guide and wraps since I believe I soak the wraps pretty well with CP and finish, and I've taken to build rods using composite or titanium guides. I also take the same approach to rod care as I do to my boat, rinsing in clean fresh water, wiping everything down, and storing in a clean, dry, location.
Patrick Vernacchio

Patrick,

I don't really feel that the finish adhers the guide to the blank. I look at it this way, the thread hold the guide to the blank and the thread finish just seals everything. If you fish our super salty water, you had better seal both ends of the wraps by taking the finish over the edges of the wraps, otherwise no matter how dilligent you are about washing everthing down with fresh water, corrosion will quickly set in, sometimes as quick as a couple of trips. Shortly thereafter you are faced with guide replacement and rewrap due to the corrosion.

I'm not trying to tell you how you finish the guides on your rods is wrong, I just want to make a point that it will not work for long in this part of the world.

Later,
Gerald Mc

Gerald, Your point is completely understandable. I think the fact that we agree on what the thread does for the guide and what the finish does for the thread, as well as what builders do to make rods work in the environment they are built for, is a "good thing". Thanks for responding. Patrick Vernacchio